I admired the sculpture as they built it, but I've never felt comfortable going beneath it to enjoy or even get a good look at it. Maybe there can be some sort of day center built for people to hang out and use computers and etc instead of the library? Otherwise maybe the police can use no drug and gambling laws to disperse them. I don't know what the solution is..but one is needed.

I wonder if removing the seating area underneath the sculpture would help? It's really sad that they built this sculpture but now nobody can go see it because it's been taken over by the homeless people.

I don’t often bike in but coming in this morning I saw something like barriers around it. Do they put up barriers regularly?

I switched buses downtown this morning and saw the barriers off to the side (that was around 7 AM)...thought maybe they were planning to do something with them by the sculpture. Guess I'll see on the ride home...

It's safe to say it creates an uncomfortable feeling around the area, no matter if the people there are nice or not. I go by there all the time, usually no problems but have had some of them be confrontational towards me. But, the average person (take my parents for example) now avoid this area because it isn't even worth the risk of confrontation for older people. They also have made what was a beautiful area dirty and leave trash everywhere. Again, this isn't a comment on the horrible structural issues that have lead to the homelessness crisis. I totally empathize with these folks and feel bad for them. That being said, if you want Nicollet mall to be an area where suburbanites, baby boomers, commuters and the thriving local population can stroll down Nicollet popping into shops, using the public amenities and admiring the artwork you can't have a major chunk of it overrun with homeless.

It's safe to say it creates an uncomfortable feeling around the area, no matter if the people there are nice or not. I go by there all the time, usually no problems but have had some of them be confrontational towards me. But, the average person (take my parents for example) now avoid this area because it isn't even worth the risk of confrontation for older people. They also have made what was a beautiful area dirty and leave trash everywhere. Again, this isn't a comment on the horrible structural issues that have lead to the homelessness crisis. I totally empathize with these folks and feel bad for them. That being said, if you want Nicollet mall to be an area where suburbanites, baby boomers, commuters and the thriving local population can stroll down Nicollet popping into shops, using the public amenities and admiring the artwork you can't have a major chunk of it overrun with homeless.

I agree, further like the Hiawatha Ave Bridge over Lake Street I suspect those gathering aren't necessary homeless, but hanging out with their friends. I actually suspect that's more the case here than on Lake St if you look carefully their possessions indicate they have some income. Nonetheless, this isn't what was imagined during the planning stages or by city leaders.

I think that might be a simple low hanging fruit, type alternative. Curious how the public/press attention to this changes after the properties north, east and northwest get filled with apartments.

These are people with a need for a place to hang out like the rest of us. People are social animals who like to hang out around people like ourselves. Is it possible we just have a huge shortage of public places they feel comfortable to be at? Is another fix just to create more places, period?

I wonder if removing the seating area underneath the sculpture would help? It's really sad that they built this sculpture but now nobody can go see it because it's been taken over by the homeless people.

And we've just started getting over making public spaces inhospitable to keep "undesirables" out...

I wonder if removing the seating area underneath the sculpture would help? It's really sad that they built this sculpture but now nobody can go see it because it's been taken over by the homeless people.

And we've just started getting over making public spaces inhospitable to keep "undesirables" out...

The problem with this space isn't that the people are homeless or "undesirable". The problem is the behavior.

Leaving piles of trash, drinking, fighting, drug use and gambling are constant at this location. As a society we have decided that these behaviors are not allowed on the sidewalk.

Guess I shouldn't be surprised we've gotten to an unironic declaration of - "In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread" - so quickly

I was trying to think what could be done to clean up the space...and the only sort of thing I can think of is filling the area under the sculpture with something like a food vendor. Maybe a stationary tiny space to rotate different food truck vendors through? Not sure what else would work. Filling it with plants they would just get sat on and crushed. and filled with trash. One of my friends was telling me the other day that he won't even go past 6th on Nicollet or near 5th and Henn, because when he has lately he has endured lots of homophobic heckling from the folks loitering there:(

PS, is anyone else super irritated that the new iteration of Nicollet doesn't include any flower pots?! At least we had that before. Even the spots with open ground under the trees is just tired old mulch (not even fresh and tidy looking). I thought it would at least be as well maintained with perennials as the 2 furthest north blocks were prior to the renovation. Just a big womp wa. At least the block of trees in front of Dayton's is doing okay, but it is looking pretty rough in general. Kind of like when Nic was all dug up and any trouble was consolidated over on Henn...we are seeing the opposite.

Such potential, but it just falls flat. I had high hopes for the renovation and all the new construction....but most of Nicollet is still looking like something I would be embarrassed to show visitors, save for maybe around 9th, 10th and 11th...even there some vacant space, but at least more good activity going on. Here's to hoping when we see the Dayton's project, city center plans, and Gateway come online we reach some sort of tipping point to make Nic more pleasant again.

PS, I am not in town...so I only get to see what friends show me and what's posted here, social media and other forums, which hasn't been much. I would love to see some pics from all along Nicollet to see how it is looking, even though some of it is depressing. Are the dead trees gone for now? How is that new little plaza by Panera? (Is Panera still there?). How are all those plantings down by the Hyatt? Another random note...I so wish that some kind of metal sculptural thing could go up on the huge blank white space above the doors on the Hyatt all along Nicollet. Ugh, now I am thinking about that vacant Ichiban space and the sad block between Grant and 14th. I have depressed myself. I love Mpls, and it has so many great things...but so many things going on, but also so many things that continue to disappoint. Sorry, that was a long wondering post, and two thirds of it probably belong in the Nicollet mall thread.

I'm enjoying the new Nicollet! It is very well used during the day, people sitting on the chairs, playing the games they have set out, and the public piano. I walk along stretches of the whole length at least once a week, at different times of the day, and granted I am a straight white male, but I've never had any issues at all.

There is too much vacant retail space, and the buses can get real slowed down with the Hennepin detour, but on the whole I like it more than before.